✒️A Struggle to Create Clothing for Achondroplasia... No. 1 [The Beginning]

[October 13, 2023] The online shop for achondroplasia {GAGO-276-} has opened. There was a long, long road to reach this day, and I have decided to leave this as a record, hoping that if anyone becomes interested in making clothes for achondroplasia in the future, it might serve as even a small reference.

◆The Beginning

My long battle dates back 21 years. Around the fifth month of my pregnancy, an abnormality in my unborn child was discovered... According to the doctor, the limbs were not growing well... I had many, many examinations, but the smile disappeared from the doctor who was always smiling, and the words that came back were, 'The baby in your womb, as expected, the limbs are not growing well. Hmm... it seems there is a possibility that the child will be born with a handicap...' and I was thrown a huge, indigestible lump... And the words that followed were shocking.

'Will you give birth? Or will you not?'

Because they were speaking calmly and flatly, I thought I wasn't shaken, but I think it took a long time to understand the words. What kind of expression was I making at that time? I could hear my child's heartbeat clearly, but I couldn't hear any other sounds. When I was at a loss for words, the doctor talked about how giving birth to a child with a handicap is far harder than one can imagine, about the mental aspect, the money, and above all, about steeling oneself... I think they were talking about such things. I heard them clearly, but the words just flowed from my right ear to my left.
'I don't think you can decide right now whether to give birth or not, so please go home, talk it over with your family, and come back next week. Please think about it carefully and give me an answer by then.'

How did I get home from the hospital? What is happening? Why did this happen? What did the doctor say again? Can I convey this to my family well?... I feel like I was thinking about such things over and over in my head. It was probably the most shocking moment since I was born.
I forgot to stop by the cute cake shop in the neighborhood, which was a pleasure after every visit, and I just walked home looking down so that I wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.
But after I got home, I became calm, and before talking to my family, I decided to think about what I wanted to do.
There is only one answer... The fact that I can hear the heartbeat means the child is alive, and I cannot kill a child who is alive...

'I will give birth, right?'

There was no hesitation in the answer I reached surprisingly easily. Rather, I had nothing but confidence.
After that, I organized my thoughts once more, explained it to my family, stated my opinion, and then I found myself having steeled my resolve.


Yes, how I, a housewife with no apparel experience and sewing skills only at a home economics level, have managed this alone, starting from here with this clothing production for achondroplasia, and what I have seen and what I want to convey through clothing production—I would be happy if I could share everything I can talk about and have it be useful.
And at the same time, I want many people to know about achondroplasia. Because there are many people who do not have it near them or do not know about it, it becomes a target of interest, and they have to endure being pointed at, laughed at, and receiving hurtful words and actions from a young age. By knowing about it, the way people interact with and think about those with achondroplasia should change.

Hoping that this record will lead to a kinder world...

→Continuing to the next time.

Thank you so much for reading this far. I am by no means a dexterous person. I am a completely analog person. I have never learned how to use a computer and spend every day looking things up, and even if I learn one thing, I forget it immediately and have to look it up again... That is how bad I am at this field. Please understand that having two adult sons means I am of a certain age. Moreover, I am not good at starting new things...
No, I was wrong... I hate starting new things! I love safe, secure, and unchanging days (lol)
But forced by necessity, I am doing my best with crowdfunding, online shops, Instagram, stand.fm, and note... with everything I can do now. Since I decided to start this activity, my world has been very noisy.
None of it is perfect, and I don't really understand how to use them (lol)
→I am in an environment where not a single one of my friends of the same age can master these things. I don't even know if I'm doing the basics, but I'm trying it for now.

'If I take action, maybe something will change, even a little...' I have come this far with just that thought. And if I'm going to do it, I want to enjoy it.
→This is where my positive side is being demonstrated.

There might be some rude posts or mistakes, but please understand that.
And I would be grateful if you could continue to watch over me warmly.

→I have posted the next work (1/8)
Please take a look if you'd like. Thank you.
　　

#Achondroplasia #ShortStature
#SkeletalDysplasia #LimbShortening
#DesignatedIntractableDisease #IntractableDisease
#achondroplasia